France announces 23 athletes for CFL-France Combine

The French Federation of American Football, FFFA, has released the names of the 23 players participating in the CFL-France Combine set to be held on January 17

Some of the names include notables such as Anthony Mahoungou, the standout wide receiver from the University of Purdue who spent time with the Philidelphia Eagles, as well as wide receiver Anthony Dable who spent the preseason in 2016 with the New York Giants and the 2017 preseason with the Atlanta Falcons. Mahoungou played for the Frankfurt Universe in 2019 while Dable was with the Hildesheim Invaders, both teams in the German Football League. Another French player who was on NFL rosters, defensive back Tony Anderson (Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams) will also attend the Combine.

Anthony Mahoungou spent 2019 preseason with Philidelphia Eagles

The combine in France is one of a series of CFL Global Combines to be held throughout Europe, Mexico, and Japan and designed to assess and measure the size, speed, athletic ability and football skills of top players from outside Canada and the United States who have aspirations of playing professionally in Canada.

The international combines will be attended by representatives of the CFL league office along with the new Director of Global Scouting, Greg Quick. The top players will be invited to Toronto from March 26-28 for the 2020 CFL Combine which will feature international prospects competing alongside their young Canadian counterparts from U SPORTS, the NCAA and junior football. The league’s biggest scouting event will be followed by two separate drafts in the spring – one for global players and one for Canadians.

In 2019, the CFL featured designated ‘global players’ from countries outside the U.S. and Canada on its nine, member clubs – a first for the league. Next season, the number of global players per team will grow from up-to-three to as many as five.

France was well represented on CFL rosters in 2019 with Boris Bede (kicker- Montreal Alouettes), Valentin Gnahoua (defensive line –  Grey Cup finalists, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats), Benjamin Plu (WR – BC Lions), Asnnel Robo (RB – Calgary Stampeders), and Maxime Rouyer (defensive line – Edmonton Eskimos).

As the CFL continues to deepen its international footprint and introduce new pathways for Canadians to play, it has also partnered with the leading gridiron football federations and leagues in AustriaGreat Britain, Denmark, FinlandFranceGermanyItalyJapanNorway, and Sweden, and is in discussions with others.

Players listed with last French club they played for

  • Anthony Dable, WR, Centaures de Grenoble
  • Brice Jacques-Andre-Coquin, WR,  Corsaires d’Evry
  • Jerome Valbon, TE / FB, tCorsaires d’Evry
  • Anthony Mahoungou, WR, Flash de la Courneuve
  • Bryan Billy, DB, Narvals de la Rochelle
  • Cheikou Sow, WR, Molosses d’Anière
  • Maxime Roger, DB, Lycans des Mureaux
  • Maceo Beard-Aigret, DB, Kangourous de Pessac
  • Tony Anderson, DB, Templiers d’Elancourt
  • Adel Bafdile, DB, Molosses d’Asnière
  • Maxime De Falcis, DB, Spartiates d’Amiens
  • Amir Kilani, DB, Flash de la Courneuve
  • Aymeric Nicault, WR, Argonautes d’Aix en Provence
  • Kevin Fortes, DB, Molosses d’Asnière
  • Jason Bofunda, RB, Gladiateurs de la Queue en Brie
  • Phileas Pasqualini, RB, l’Iron Mask de Cannes
  • Victor Ferrier, DB, Kangourous de Pessac
  • Jason Aguemon, RB, Flash de la Courneuve
  • Louis Achaintre, DB / LB, Giants de St Etienne
  • Ryan Khefif, LB, Flash de la Courneuve
  • Kevin Kaya, WR, Tigres de Nancy (Regional Montreal)
  • Carl Achy, DB, Spartiates d’Amiens (Regional Montreal)
  • Stephane Fortes, WR, Flash de la Courneuve

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